by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — The veteran pacer Mr Cammander produced the fastest mile of the afternoon and gave Ruel (Dude) Goodblood, Jr. a driving double with a 1:55.4 performance during Monday’s (September 3) Labor Day program at Vernon Downs.

Competing against eight rivals in the $3,780 seventh session, the favored Mr Cammander took the scenic route from fourth at the quarter, gained the lead at the top of the stretch, then powered home to win by three lengths and record his second season’s score for trainer Larry Rathbone.

The free-legged 8-year-old gelding sports a 2-2-2 summary line after 15 current appearances, and has earned more than $98,900 during his fine career for the M And L Of Delaware, Inc. stable.

Goodblood’s other winner came behind Robert Blackman, Jr.’s sophomore pacing colt Brady B, a career-best 1:56 mile in Monday’s second race.

Gates Brunet also recorded two victories during Monday’s nine-race card, teaming Scottish Delight to a 2:02.1 tally in the third race and Stella Hall to a 2:00.1 triumph in the sixth event. Brunet’s wife, Deborah, and Theodore Gewertz share ownership of both 3-year-old trotting fillies.

Downs Doings: Goodblood’s double was his sixth of the meet, while Brunet has won two races on a single program on two occasions in 2007…Claude Huckabone, Jr. (Four Starz Winner) and his son, Claude, III (Spook House), each reined first-place finishers during the day’s action…Due to Monday’s matinee, there will be no live racing at the Downs on Tuesday night (September 4). Live racing will resume at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday (September 6) with a 12-race card that will feature four $10,000 splits in the next-to-last leg of the Kindergarten Classic Series for 2-year-old trotters (two divisions for each sex), a $10,000 distaff Open Pace and a $10,000 Open Handicap Trot…Vernon’s video gaming facility operates from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday, while its daily simulcast sessions begin at 11:00 a.m.